The Bad
Where’s the Gameplay for Non-Halo Fans?
Halo Infinite did a great job of setting the stage for the Xbox game showcase and the gameplay looked astounding at 4K and 60FPS, but where was the gameplay for other titles? A majority of the games on the showcase had cinematic trailers that give gamers very little to expect. State of Decay 3 had a brilliant cinematic trailer but it had no gameplay, Avowed looks spectacular but had no gameplay beyond a brief hand-illuminating gesture, Everwild could be a console seller if Rare fans had gameplay revealed ahead of its release. Most of the games lacked gameplay and some, such as The Medium and Psychonauts had very brief snippets of it. Grounded showed some solid gameplay, but it’s releasing very soon. The Outer Worlds DLC focused on gameplay but it’s an expansion to an already established title. With the next Xbox game showcase, we’d like more gameplay please!
Phantasy Star Online 2 (Neon Genesis)
The Neon Genesis of Phantasy Star Online 2 is being marketed as a brand new and expansive world but it looks like more of the same. While the MMO is a recent acquisition for Xbox, the title released way back in 2012 and it’s definitely not a console seller or a next-gen seller. The gameplay of Phantasy Star Online 2 is what people play it for and the new visuals seem like a step in the right direction, but this trailer was probably the worst of a handful of titles that felt out of place on a showcase for the next-gen Xbox. Just like Destiny 2, this title is a great addition to Game Pass and gamers will likely invest thousands of hours into it, but it isn’t a console seller or a reason to get a next-gen console.
Destiny 2 is a Next-gen Seller?
Destiny 2 released as a bit of a disappointment to fans of the original title and new fans alike before being fixed through updates like many other live service games. The title originally released in 2017 and since then, Bungie has departed Activision to once again develop independently. Destiny 2 is a great example of why this Xbox game showcase was more about the Game Pass lineup than it was about the Xbox Series X. Destiny 2 is an endless game that Game Pass subscribers could explore for thousands of hours and Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be the latest upgrade to the title and it will be available day one on Game Pass. Is Destiny 2 a console seller? No, but it’s definitely worth a Game Pass subscription.
